One of the things that leads to injury for many runners is overpronation, which is when the arch falls in causing the ankle to roll in as well and sending strain up to the knee and hip.
The best running shoes for flat feet can help with this.
As always, I’m also a big proponent of learning to do exercises that will help your body become stronger and not rely on the shoe to do things for you.
If you don’t then over time you’ll create new areas of weakness and only mask issues for a little while. Flat feet are one exception because it’s usually a structural issue and not say weak hips.
Best Running Shoes for Flat Feet
My husband is someone with very flat feet, so I’ve spent a lot time trying to find shoes that will help him feel best on the run. In general, you’ll be looking for shoes labeled stability.
I absolutely recommend going in to your local running store and trying on some shoes. The high arch may feel a little weird, but remember it’s correcting what your foot is not doing on its own.
Asics for Flat Feet
I recently did a full review of the Asics GEL Kayano and here it is again as a long standing winner. It’s a favorite marathon training shoe and one that will help to provide you with the extra support your foot needs.
- 27 is the newest model, but if you find an older one on sale go for it
- 10 mm heel drop
- DuoMax® Support System doesn’t add weight, but does add support
New Balance for Flat Feet
While New Balance is largely known for having extra widths to accommodate wider feet, they do have a great option for flat footed runners as well.
The New Balance 860 has a dual-density medial post in the midsole that helps with overpronation, which will stabilize your foot strike and help to keep you in better alignment. Also has their fresh foam system which keeps the shoe light with some cushion.
- the V11 is just being released, which means great deals on the V10
- 10 mm heel drop
- Review: “
Brooks Running Shoe for Flat Feet
Brooks has a number of running shoes that offer great stability including the super popular Adrenaline GTS, but specifically for flat feet there’s a lot of hype around the Brooks Beast.
- 12 mm heel drop makes it higher than others, which is good if you have ankle or achilles issues, but can also lead to heel striking
- One of their most cushioned shoes
- GuideRails® support throughout to provide stability
- Probably not one of their most stylish shoes if that matters to you (personally I just want to stay injury free so I care very little about the look)
- 8mm heel drop
